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After falling for much of 2012, North Carolina’s unemployment rate crept back up in November, up .2 of a percent statewide to 9%, with 81 of the state’s 100 counties seeing increases. In the High Country, one of the 13 counties with a decrease was Ashe, dropping over a percent—1.3%
—landing at 10% for November. That was contrasted with Watauga’s .6 of a percent increase to 7.9% and Avery’s dramatic 1.4% increase to 10.9%. Most of the report is statistical, not analytical, but it does show that the business services sector lost the most jobs between October and November, followed by construction, textiles, then eating/drinking establishments.